more than 4 subject tests

takeitdown
Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:35:08 +0000

This reply is a bit late, I know, but perhaps it’ll be useful to someone.

I believe a few extra SAT II scores would indeed be useful for admissions committees. They provide a standardized measure of subject-specific performance at a more advanced level, and in several subjects not covered on the SAT I. I am a homeschooled student and will likely find these tests more beneficial in my application process, but I would imagine three or more good SAT II scores would give anyone a bit of an advantage over the average applicant. This is especially true among the strong competitors in the race for the Ivies. Certainly, the admissions committees will be looking at a variety of factors, but to deny the weight of these scores would be a denial of reality.

If you have the opportunity and the will to take a few extra SAT II’s (without sacrificing more important endeavors, of course), I’d highly recommend it.

Edit to add: To clarify, I do not think that a truly strong candidate will find themselves at a significant disadvantage if they do not have superfluous SAT II scores. For a student whose portfolio is already strong, I do not believe that adding a few more scores will have a huge effect. For these individuals, it will definitely help but not to the extent of being make-or-break. For those who are at or below the average applicant, or those who need more substantiation of academic achievement, the effect would be more significant.